


Perfect Evening

by MagusLibera



Series: fics I wrote in quarantine as I chilled [16]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s06e09 Irreconcilable Differences, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, Quarantine and Chill Fic Drive (Arrow TV 2012), Wedding Fluff, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:20:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24845959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagusLibera/pseuds/MagusLibera
Summary: Oliver and Felicity enjoy a quiet week after their marriage in Central City. Well, they enjoy it in between William, Thea and Donna's constant pestering and running around as they plan the reception.And then the reception happens, and it is beautiful. A perfect evening.Not for Flash fans.
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Series: fics I wrote in quarantine as I chilled [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1672840
Comments: 64
Kudos: 139





	Perfect Evening

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! It's been a while and there are a lot of reasons for that but the only one that really matters is that Black Lives Matter. If you want to help out in any way, here is a link: [Black Lives Matter](https://blacklivesmatter.carrd.co).
> 
> I'm going to try to update more from now on, I've finished my first year of uni so I have more time! This fic was entirely inspired by the people on twitter a few Fridays ago and the things that a certain other fandom was saying but it spiraled into something far more extensive.
> 
> I'd initially planned for it to be 2-4k but then two new scenes just happened without my knowledge and then the rest of it just got way longer than expected and I fully blame Cerys and Lexi for encouraging this behaviour in me. Also, thanks to Joy and Mandy and Lettie and Shel for their support too.
> 
> I don't know if Q&C still counts right now but I figure as long as nobody says otherwise, I'm gonna keep going. I've had a lot of fics planned for a while so I might as well.
> 
> Okay, let's go.

Waking up has, in the last few days, become one of Oliver’s favourite things in the world.

Well, really it has become one of his favourite things in the world _again_ over the last few weeks, but there has been something positively magical added to the experience in the last few days. It is a feeling – one that he cannot imagine ever fading – that fills him as he opens his eyes to see the love of his life still peacefully asleep, tucked into his chest. It is something wonderful that happens when he sees her small hand resting on him, that perfect glint of gold around her finger. Her ring. The ring that he gave to her and that _she accepted_. The ring whose twin lies across her back, encircling his own finger as it draws soothing patterns on her bare skin.

Thanks to his insomnia, Oliver rarely sleeps more than a few hours on any given night. A year ago that was torture, waking up only a couple of hours after falling asleep cold and alone, almost physically aching for the soothing weight of Felicity’s body in his arms. He would get up, the emptiness of his cot in the Bunker too painful to bear any longer than absolutely necessary for those few hours of rest a night, and try to ignore the stabbing in his chest, the ache for Felicity and for William that never left as he distracted himself with exercise until he could go into City Hall.

Now, it is all different. He sleeps more peacefully, deeper and longer than he ever had back then and when he inevitably wakes up early, he gets to wake up to everything he has ever dreamt of. Felicity snuggled into him, his son just down the hall safely tucked in his own bed, Thea mere blocks away in the apartment that she used to share with Laurel. Still weak and recovering but _healthy_. Awake. He gets to lie there for as long as he wants, luxuriating in the life that he finally has. He is a husband, a father, a brother, a friend. He is happy.

Since their defeat of the Earth-Xers, their extracurricular life has been blessedly quiet. Like the criminals of Star City have decided to take a break. It means that, even though their marriage was not exactly planned, and they still have to work and they are still in Star City and not jetting off to Aruba or Bali or somewhere, they have actually been able to take the time to enjoy being newlyweds. They have been granted a moment of peace in lieu of a proper honeymoon and they are taking full advantage of it. Or as much advantage as a couple with a twelve year old son can be when said son is teaming up with his aunt and new grandmother to guilt trip them into holding a wedding reception since they were denied the pleasure of being there for the wedding itself.

The thought makes Oliver sigh. Half in contented pleasure and half in annoyance as he remembers that Thea and Donna are coming over in the afternoon to finalise the wedding plans. Part of him is excited about the reception, the chance to celebrate his love and his marriage in front of all of the people he loves just like he had suggested to Felicity in the first place. The other part knows that Donna has been stressing Felicity out and he just wishes that they could enjoy this week of happiness that they are allowing themselves without any stress.

His sigh must have moved his chest more than he realised because Felicity starts to stir. Maybe his favourite thing about sharing his bed with her again is getting to watch her wake up again. She is incredibly cute as she blinks away the sleep and reacclimatises to the world around her. When she has a moment of confusion as she tries to remember where she is and what is happening, and then she realises that the hard mass beneath her cheek is her husband’s chest and her hand does a reflexive little twitch, grasping his skin possessively. He loves it. It never fails to put a smile on his face.

“Morning.” He murmurs to her, hand sliding down to reaffirm his grip on her waist and pull her further into him.

She yawns adorably, face sleepily burrowing into his skin before she responds with a slurred “Mornin’.”

“Did you sleep well?” he covers her hand, where it has started to trace the scars on his chest, with his own, threading his fingers between hers.

She groans a little, displeased with the fact that her slumber is over and hums her confirmation, “You?”

“I always sleep better with you in my arms.” He tells her even though he knows how sappy and cheesy it is, dipping his head down so that he can greet her properly with a kiss. He could not care less how sappy and cheesy he is. He has everything that he wants in his life, he has a right to be as sappy and cheesy as he pleases.

As it always seems to in the time since they got back together, the sweet morning kiss that he gives her goes on far too long to still be a sweet morning kiss. It lingers, and grows, becoming more passionate with each pass of their lips and before Oliver fully realises what is happening, his hand slips further down from her waist, taking its time over the swell of her arse, before making its way over her thigh to hook under her knee. He uses the leverage to pull her fully on top of him, rolling her fully into his grasp and making her gasp into his mouth at the sudden movement.

When he finally has her where he wants her, he pulls back, eyes glittering up at her own as he whispers “Hi.” And then he pulls her back down to meet his lips and they stay locked together for the rest of the morning.

*************************

William is already up and awake by the time they emerge from their bedroom. Even though Oliver has pulled on a pair of joggers and a t shirt, and Felicity has managed to make her way into one of her vast collection of t shirts stolen from Oliver and even put some leggings on. Which is unnecessary since Oliver’s t shirts hang lower on her legs than half of her actual dresses do, but William still makes a look of disgust when he sees them.

“What?” she asks, eyes darting down to examine herself before flickering them over her husband’s appearance for anything obvious that could give away what they spent their morning doing. But as far as she is concerned, they just look like they have been asleep. There is nothing that would suggest that they have been doing any more… strenuous activities than that.

“You two are gross.” William grimaces, “I think I preferred it before you were married and back then I thought it was bad enough.”

“What do you mean? What was bad?” Felicity asks, insecurity overtaking her as she imagines William telling her that he wished she still lived in the loft and he does not really like her.

“Felicity.” William states, looking at her like she should have already worked it out, “I’m twelve, not six. I know what the two of you have been doing in there.” He shudders, “The walls aren’t exactly soundproofed effectively and I’m not an idiot. At least before you were married you _tried_ to leave your room before midday to maintain some sort of pretence, but now it’s like there’s no stopping you-”

“Okay, Buddy.” Oliver interrupts, a light blush colouring his cheeks even as he tries to supress a grin, “We’ll try to be a bit less obvious from now on, okay?”

“Oliver!” Felicity hisses, mortified at the thought of William knowing – of him _hearing_ – she and Oliver having sex.

“What?” apparently, the amusement he finds in her embarrassment is enough to cut through his own and he chuckles, “I think that pretending we weren’t just in there having sex would be a bit redundant at this point.”

“Dad.” William groans, “Don’t say that word. I don’t want to think about that!” He buries his face in his hands.

“Hey, you were the one who brought it up.” Oliver shrugs, “But I promise this is the last you’ll hear of it now.” William just grumbles in response and Oliver makes his way into the kitchen to make their much needed brunch.

*************************

Once they have some of Oliver’s delicious cooking in their hands, the three of them settle comfortably in front of an episode of _Doctor Who_ , which Felicity has been introducing William to. It is peaceful, and Oliver finds himself watching his wife and son more than anything else (which is okay, Felicity made him watch _Doctor Who_ years ago so she is already happy with that portion of his education in entertainment). All three of them are cuddled up on one sofa, with Felicity tucked under Oliver’s arm and William leaning against his step mother.

Seeing them together is always remarkable to Oliver. They are already so comfortable with one another and the love that they share takes his breath away. In such a short space of time, they have already become a family and the two people he loves most in the world have their own special bond, independent of him, and nothing could make him happier. They whisper to one another through every episode, picking out parts and discussing them just like he has seen them do with code and even William’s homework. It is like they have their own unique language that just lets them click.

*************************

When the episode ends, Oliver reluctantly stands and pulls Felicity up with him so that they can get dressed before Thea and Donna arrive with what is sure to be a mountain of ideas for the reception.

Oliver is pulling on his trousers when he notices a frown on Felicity’s face, just before she blurts out, “I hope that they like the espresso machine.” As she chews her lip worriedly, “I know it wasn’t on the registry but all of the good things they had on there were gone and it would just look weird for us to get them like… cutlery or something seeing as they _know_ how wealthy we are and besides, _everyone_ needs a good espresso machine. They’re great!” Used to her bringing up completely random topics, Oliver figures out that she is once again fretting over the wedding present that they sent to Barry and Iris.

“Felicity, Honey,” Oliver laughs, overjoyed that even though they are now married, she still babbles in front of him in that way he so adores, “We’ve already discussed this, when we were buying it. And we agreed that it was the best option. What’s got you so worried again?”

“I just… I’m worried that they’ll hate us. Because we got married during their wedding and now that I think about it and I’m not, you know, _in the moment_ any more, I think that it was… maybe it was a bit rude?” Oliver sighs, walking over to her bare chested so that he can wrap his arms around her.

“Oh yeah… because it would just be _terrible_ if Barry Allen thought _we_ were rude and didn’t like us anymore.” he only half mumbles it, clearly aware that she will disapprove of his voicing the thought but also knowing that she completely agrees with him.

“Oliver,” she scolds, “That’s not very nice.” She can barely keep a straight face, “Besides, it’s not exactly Barry who I’m worried about offending. It’s Iris. I actually like Iris most of the time.”

“Unlike Barry, you mean?” Oliver teases.

“Oliver!” it’s half a reprimand and half laughter and Oliver loves the sound of it.

He kisses her fondly on the tip of her nose, “Iris isn’t going to hate you. At the most, she’ll be annoyed for a bit but if she doesn’t get over it then she’s not really a very good friend is she?”

“Well I wasn’t exactly the best friend to her when I interrupted her ‘I do’s so that I could propose to you and we could elope during their wedding, was I?” her eyes look watery and Oliver knows that it is because Felicity is punishing herself for it as she does with everything. Sure, maybe the timing of their elopement was not the best, but at the end of the day it is not like they did it at the church where Barry and Iris were supposed to have their proper official ceremony in front of all of their friends and family. Neither of them would ever do _that_.

“Felicity,” he sighs, wrapping himself around her a little more as he wishes she could be feeling as blissed out and contented as he is, “They’d literally told us just before that they were planning on going down to City Hall to sign their license without any sort of celebration. All we did was swap City Hall for riverside and a judge for John and we were their witnesses instead of some strangers or whoever they decided to use. What we did was basically the same as us being the next people in line at City Hall, it’s fine, stop worrying.” She is completely pressed against him, lax in his arms as she lets him comfort her.

“And besides, even if they did have a good reason to be upset, it’s not like they’re in any position to judge others on appropriate wedding etiquette.” Her face lifts from where it had been buried into his neck so that she can look quizzically at him, “Barry told me that Iris snuck into a stranger’s funeral so that she could try and get the minister there to marry them right then and there.” Felicity gasps, eyes wide, “Yeah. _A funeral_.”

“A funeral?” she reiterates, disbelieving.

“Yep. Barry said the mourners were still making their way out as Iris got the minister to start talking after she turned the photo of the dead guy around and then he started having an allergic reaction just as he started to marry them and Iris told him to ‘walk it off’.”

Felicity blinks a few times, taking that in. “Wow.” Is all she says for a minute, clearly trying to use her considerable intelligence to fathom out why somebody would behave in such a way and failing to do so, “You know, sometimes I feel sorry for Iris because she was Barry’s best friend when they were kids and now she’s just stuck in love with him even though he’s… you know…”

“Even though he’s technically her brother now and in the last few years his ego has grown to a ridiculously disproportionate size that’s only matched by how extremely self-absorbed he is?”

“Yeah…” she nods, “That.” She pauses, lost in thought as she so often is before continuing, “It makes me feel bad for her because… well, for a lot of reasons and… I mean imagine what _that_ is like for a husband. Imagine what it’s like _in bed_!” a shudder wracks through her, a reaction to how horrified she is at the mere thought, “But then I hear stuff like this and I realise… yeah… maybe they’re perfect for one another.”

Oliver just hums his agreement, glad that he has Felicity focused on feeling both sad for and baffled with Iris rather than feeling guilty for buying the other couple an espresso machine worth over four hundred dollars just because it was not on their registry.

*************************

Felicity and Oliver get lucky. Once Moira and Thea have breezed in, both spouting a few comments to remind the couple that they are mad about the elopement and had better be allowed to do whatever they want with the reception to make up for it, they get straight to work. It would, ordinarily, be the definition of unlucky and stressful (Oliver still remembers the battles that used to happen over how much pink, glittery and feathery was appropriate for a wedding from their engagement) but in this instance, he and Felicity have decided to let their family have what they want since the reception is mostly for them, and only plan to curb the more ostentatious plans that they are sure Donna and Thea’s combined insanity will come up with.

Because of this, he is able to spend most of his afternoon in a room with four of his favourite people, his wife practically in his lap, watching his family excitedly brainstorm ideas. And then it gets even better when Donna and Thea realise that he and Felicity are fine with them doing what they want and suggest that they and William head out to get some food and keep planning. Oliver is certain that letting them go will be a bad idea and that ‘food’ actually means Big Belly Burger (he is trying to minimise the amount of junk William is allowed) but the thought of an evening alone in his home with only his wife and no fear of his son walking into the house at any point is far too tempting. Felicity seems to have the same idea.

Oliver tries not to be too obvious as he rushes the other three out of the apartment, but he spots William rolling his eyes with an uncomfortable expression on his face and knows that he has failed. A minute later, he stops caring when he shuts the door and turns to see Felicity already stripping off in the middle of the room. She is so gorgeous. He gets little time to take her in before she is leaping into his arms and tearing at his own clothes.

*************************

Disgruntled does not quite explain how Felicity feels when, on the morning of her wedding reception, she is startled awake at six (even though the reception is not due to start for another twelve hours) by her son, mother and sister-in-law bursting into her and Oliver’s bedroom. They are far too energetic for her liking. Especially since she and Oliver are both completely naked beneath the covers and William is excitedly trying to pull her out of bed, insisting that she needs to spend the day getting ready.

Luckily for her, Oliver is already awake and heard the small invasion occurring, so is prepared with the covers trapped between his strong arm and her body, keeping her hidden.

“William.” He reprimands, “What is the rule about coming into our bedroom unannounced?”

William hesitates, ceasing his insistent pulling at the sheets, “Don’t?”

“And do you remember when we talked about keeping certain things we do in this bedroom private?” he hints. Thea catches on, grimacing, but William still seems confused, “William, Felicity and I are naked under here.” He states bluntly.

“Oh!” William recoils, “Ew! That’s so gross!”

“You’re the one who came barging in here on our wedding day, Bud.” Oliver laughs, relaxing a little once the threat to their modesty is gone.

Leaving the room, William exclaims, “You have ten minutes to get dressed and ready to go and then you need to leave, Felicity!”

Thea exits hot on his heels with a reminder that she does _not_ mind coming back in and dragging Felicity out naked if she has to. Donna, on the other hand, does not leave. Nor does she pick up on the glare that Felicity is levelling at her, “Now I know we’re in a little bit of a hurry, but ten minutes is more than enough time if you know what you’re doing. And if you’re trying to conceive, there is this position that your father and I tried when we were-”

“Mom!” Felicity suddenly has a new degree of sympathy for William’s plight as she listens to her mother attempt to give sex advice – worse, _conception_ advice – to her as she is naked in bed with her equally naked husband. Her husband with whom she is most definitely _not_ trying to conceive a baby. They are still getting used to being a family and parents to William, it is definitely not the time to be introducing another little one into their lives. One day, but not for a while. “Mom, get out! I need to get dressed!”

“Okay, but if you’re having _any_ difficulties then you know-”

“Sure, Donna.” Oliver interrupts, “We’ll come to you first, don’t worry.”

“See you in ten minutes!” a placated Donna breezes out with a wink, still under the impression that they are going to use the ten minutes to try and make a child.

The minute that the door closes, Felicity levels Oliver with a glare.

“It was the only way to get rid of her.” He explains, stretching and letting the covers fall from his body. Felicity finds herself suddenly distracted and before she realises it, her mind going to the exact place her mother expected it to. “Felicity.” Oliver startles her out of her reverie, sliding out of the bed, “You need to get ready.” He can barely keep the chuckle from his voice as he yanks the duvet all the way down, exposing her body to the cold air, “As much as I would love to stay in here all morning with you.”

“Fine.” She groans, standing and starting to pull on some of Oliver’s clothes to wear before she showers and puts on her dress.

*************************

If Oliver had thought that he was going to have a nice relaxing day with his son and best friend, he was mistaken. William is all go all day, enacting an extensive list of tasks to prepare for the reception that he, Thea and Donna have clearly discussed him handling. It feels like be barely sees his son all day other than to receive various instructions and to watch the boy fly from room to room.

They are so busy all day that the evening sneaks up on Oliver without warning. Before he knows it, he is affixing a yellow tulip boutonnière to his lapel, hands strangely clammy and his stomach inexplicably aflutter. He looks up to see his son peering around the corner into his bedroom, already cutting a dashing figure in a matching suit to Oliver’s. It makes his heart clench, he can see so much of himself in his child in moments like this. In many ways, other than the dark hair, William is becoming his spitting image.

“Help?” William asks, holding up his own boutonnière for Oliver to see.

“Of course, Buddy.” Oliver smiles, moving to make room for William in front of the mirror. He takes the flower and faces his son, letting himself enjoy the first brief moment of quiet that is also sure to be the last until the night is done. Oliver talks William through affixing the boutonnière and how best to do it without somebody around to assist. It is the smallest thing, helping his son and teaching him something so simple, but to Oliver it is everything.

So many times in his life he almost lost this chance. Some of those times it was his own fault, others it was not, but everything from his own behaviour as a young man to his mother’s actions to the _Gambit_ sinking to Samantha’s decisions to everything else had nearly stripped him of the chance to have this with William. The fact that he gets to stand in the home that he shares with his family, with his wonderful child before him on the day that he celebrates marrying the love of his life after everything that they have been through, it is nothing short of a miracle.

“William,” Oliver hesitates, not wanting to open any wounds when they have only just started to heal but also feeling compelled to ask so that he can give William the best life possible, “Are you okay with all of this? Are you happy?”

William stops admiring his jacket to turn to Oliver, eyes shining with something, “What do you mean?” he asks cautiously.

“I mean,” Oliver gulps, “I want you to be happy, and I know that you’re going through a lot and a lot has changed in the last few months and that a lot has changed for the worst but I want to give you the best life I can give you considering the circumstances. I know nothing will be perfect again and that is not something I can change but if there is anything I can change to make you happy then I will.”

It takes William a moment to respond, deep in thought, “A lot has changed.” He starts, “And you’re right, a lot of that has been bad. I… I lost my mom.” It is the first time to Oliver’s knowledge that William has acknowledged that fact out loud, “She’s gone and I’m never going to get her back and I have to live with that. It was… it was hard, at first, to separate losing her and coming to live with you because the reason I came to you was because she was gone and the reason that she was gone was because I am your son. But after a little while, I started to be able to separate those things.

“I know that you would have done anything to stop Mom dying. I know that you _did_ do everything you could, and that she asked you to protect me and so you left her where you thought she was safer so that you could save me too. I know that I came to live with you because it was either you or my grandparents and you managed to convince them that you should have a chance to be my dad since you didn’t even know about me before. At first, I was mad that you only wanted me after Mom died but I understand now that you did want me before but that you thought it was too dangerous and it took what happened for you to realise I’d be safer near you.

“And after I learnt to separate all of that, it got easier. Because I wasn’t alone any more. I have you now. I have Felicity. And she has been everything that our family needed without ever trying to replace my mom in my life. I’m not okay, I might never be okay again but that’s to be expected. I am as happy as I could be. I have a loving family and, now that you’ve married Felicity, I know that I always have her to lean on too and that’s more than enough for me. I love Felicity. And I love you too, Dad.”

Trying and failing to hold back tears, Oliver pulls William into his arms, whispering “I love you too William, _so_ much. More than you’ll ever know.” As he presses a kiss to the boy’s hair.

Oliver catches a glimpse of them in the mirror, father and son having a moment of true bonding and he knows that his life is finally everything that he has ever wanted, whether he knew that he wanted it or not. The two of them stay like that until Thea arrives, wandering in like she owns the place as she proclaims that Felicity is ready and she is there to go with them to the venue. Oliver pulls back, straightens his and William’s clothing, makes sure that his eyes are not obviously puffy and red and then walks out with an arm around his sister’s and his son’s shoulders.

*************************

After Thea leaves to go and get the boys, Felicity is under the impression that she and her mother are merely waiting for her father to arrive before they head out to meet everyone at the venue, but apparently her mother has other ideas. Felicity privately thinks that the title of her autobiography should be _My Mother Had Other Ideas_ but does not voice the thought. Donna is wound up enough as it is and Felicity is not in the mood for her third lecture of the day on how she should have at least invited William, Thea and Donna to the wedding and that there should have been more Jewish influence on the ceremony.

The day has been more pleasant than Felicity had expected when she was so rudely dragged from her bed. Much of that has been thanks to the presence of Thea who, despite her initial quips about being left out of her only brother’s and best friend’s wedding and her general enthusiastic energy for anything party related, realised that Felicity is ridiculously nervous and did not need her mother’s constant comments making that any worse. Which is why Felicity has only suffered through two lectures thus far, rather than seven.

But Thea is no longer present to save her from Donna Smoak’s plans and so Felicity finds herself sitting around for a quarter of an hour in the tense atmosphere created by being in a room with both of her parents as she waits for Donna to announce that enough time has passed and they can go to her wedding where her husband and son await. And it is tense. Extremely so. Even if Donna has allowed Noah back into her life for the sake of Felicity and Noah has reformed from his calculating days that does not mean that they like each other in any way. At best, they tolerate one another and fifteen minutes of waiting for very little reason to anyone other than Donna is more than enough to have them exchanging snide remarks.

It feels like an eternity has passed before Donna announces that they have waited long enough and lets them leave. The car ride is only slightly less tense, but it starts to get better when Donna begins to babble about her plans for Felicity’s grand entrance and how excited she is for the whole event and how lovely the venue looks. It even softens Noah, who looks at Felicity in her white lace and as their eyes catch, she can feel his regrets like a physical presence. It has been a hard road trusting him again and letting him back into her life. She will probably never have a father-daughter relationship with him again like she should have, but at least he is being a positive presence once again.

The minute that they walk into the venue, Felicity feels her life shift again. Like everything about it just becomes real in the moment that she sees everything and then locks eyes with Oliver. She has a husband. She has a son. She has a sister-in-law and friends and family and it is all _real_ and nobody can ever take that away from her because in this moment, in a room with all of her loved ones, she has it.

She has been so disinterested with the whole wedding rigmarole, convinced that it is more for her mother, Thea and William than for herself or Oliver that she had not stopped to think what it would all mean. They have done a fantastic job, the whole place is decorated in a surprisingly tasteful way that makes everything seem magical and she assumes that the taste is more down to William and Thea than her mother but she just knows that Donna was responsible for the twinkling lights all over and she loves them. They make Oliver shine, highlighting the glow on his face as she walks towards him, entranced and ever so grateful to have both of her parents by her side, no matter how difficult they can be.

*************************

Oliver feels his heart leap as Felicity walks in the room. It was so silly of him to worry about her not being there but in his defence, they do not exactly have the best track record for weddings and it was not that long ago that she was telling him that she had no desire to get married. But there she is, radiant with that beatific smile on her face as she looks straight at him. She is the only thing he can see, she is his entire world for that moment in time and he will treasure it for the rest of his life.

She practically runs to him once they get close as Donna starts to berate them once again about eloping but he could not care less. He is here and happy and Donna can complain about whatever she wants. As far as he is concerned after she managed to pull off the perfect wedding reception in a handful of days and she can get away with just about anything.

Kissing Felicity feels like the first time. Their first kiss, their first kiss as a couple, their first kiss after they reunited, their first kiss as spouses. All of it flashes through his mind in that moment and he just knows that this is the beginning of the rest of his life. So of course, John has to interrupt the moment by starting a round of applause. To be fair to John, he has been forced to witness first-hand one too many times what can happen when they get lost in a kiss and things develop from there. They are prone to forgetting they are in public when their lips are pressed together, so it may be for the best that he interrupts them.

The entire evening goes perfectly. Shockingly so. It gets to the point where, as they uncomfortably talk to the Hoffmans and Felicity fidgets with her need to get away he wonders where the catch is coming. He starts to tense as he waits for the other shoe to drop and everything to go wrong but it _does not_. Even as he licks the buttercream that Felicity managed to smear halfway across his face away, Oliver cannot wipe the stupid grin from his face. He is just so happy. And usually that is where things start going wrong.

But by some unforeseen turn of events, their luck holds out. Even the speeches go mostly to plan. Initially, Curtis makes his way in front of the crowd with a glass of champagne and the glazed look of somebody who has had one too many drinks and starts ranting about how love is intangible and may not even exist, but Oliver darts a quick look over to where John is stood next to Rene, sending a plea for help so that the man they actually _asked_ to give a speech can take over.

Rene misinterprets for a moment, lunging towards Curtis to take over, but John follows on, ready to save the day as always.

*************************

“Thank you, Curtis.” He laughs, standing in a way that makes it clear to Rene to just stay quiet and guide Curtis away. “Thank you for that interesting speech.” He clears his throat and focuses his attention on Oliver and Felicity, “Some of you may know that I am the original Olicity shipper.” He jokes, making both Oliver and Felicity groan at the reminder that, not only do total strangers ship them together, but that they have also made up a couples name for the two of them.

“I met Oliver a little over five years ago. I was hired as his bodyguard. He was this rough, cold man back then. He never smiled, he was constantly escaping from me and he was completely lost. And then a few weeks later, things started to change. At first I thought that it was just because we were growing closer and he had started to trust me, but then I started to spot the patterns in his moods, and I started to realise that there was one constant factor every single time he would be in a good mood.

“You see, around the same time that Oliver and I started to trust each other – which was what eventually led to our friendship – he had also started to visit his family’s company. The first time, he had a problem with a laptop and he went to QC to find the best person to help him out. After that, he kept going back for every little thing that was even remotely tech related. And at first I was baffled as to why visiting QC would have such an effect on him even though he wanted nothing to do with the company, but one day he took me along with him and I realised.

“The person Oliver was getting tech help from was the brightest, bubbliest, babbling little blonde I had ever met. Her name was Felicity Smoak and she had this ability to bring out the best in pretty much anyone. She could light up a room with her sweet smile and the change that came over Oliver when he was around her was unbelievable. In her presence, he became his best self and that is the man that I see standing before me today.

“It took a few months for Oliver to open up to her, but when he did it finally helped to form the friendship that the three of us have. And when he did, it changed everything. Of course, Oliver being Oliver had to drag the process of marrying her out for five long years of ups and downs for all three of us, but every moment of it has been worth it.”

John’s eyes are shining as he looks adoringly at his two best friends, finally together and married after so long and after going through so much. “About two and a half years ago, I got married myself. Now I’m not going to turn this speech into something about how Oliver and Felicity remind me of myself and Lyla because firstly, they don’t. Their story and their relationship is completely different. And secondly because this night isn’t about Lyla and I, it’s about Felicity and Oliver. But the reason I mention it is because I remember, back then, being a freshly married man and looking out at all of the people there to witness it. I looked around, to my best man. And I’m sure you can imagine my… well. I wouldn’t call it surprise, but my amusement when I saw that in that moment my best man barely even remembered that I existed because his entire being was focused on the woman sitting a few rows back in the audience in a stunning red dress. A woman I had grown over the years to see as my little sister. A woman with whom he had been completely head over heels in love with for two years.

“That wasn’t the first time that I knew that Oliver and Felicity were going to be one of those epic romances that you hear about but that doesn’t even seem real. It wasn’t the first time that I knew that they would be spending the rest of their lives together either. It wasn’t even the first time that I knew they would one day start a family together.” At this, John looks over to William with a fond smile, love for the boy who made his friends a family pouring out of him, “Moments like that had happened long before this. But up until that moment I had feared that they would let their issues keep them apart and they would continue to make themselves miserable for absurd reasons and it was in that moment that I knew without a doubt that it wouldn’t be long before I was stood in Oliver’s place, watching my two best friends swear to love and cherish one another forever. It was in that moment that I found what I needed to cast aside all doubts and trust in that knowledge, even through the last year and a half.

“Now, as you all know it didn’t exactly work out exactly as I imagined. Instead of being stood behind Oliver or instead of walking Felicity down the aisle to him, I was the guy stood between them who was lucky enough to be the one who declared them husband and wife. But I’m definitely not going to complain about that.” He winks at Thea, “And now here we are, a few years later, and we are celebrating that marriage that I and many of you have so long awaited. It took these two some time, and a lot of growing up and becoming the people they were meant to be, but now they get to celebrate this moment with their son too and I know that must mean the world to both of them. It took five years but now that sweet girl who made Oliver Queen smile is his wife, Felicity Smoak Queen.

“So please, all join me in raising a glass to my best friends, my brother, my little sister, my family. To the Smoak Queens!” Both Oliver and Felicity are crying by the end and have completely forgotten about the Curtis debacle. John is rather misty eyed too as he makes his way to the newlyweds and wraps both of them in a huge hug, Felicity squashed between the two men. When they finally let go, Felicity pecks a kiss on John’s cheek, unable to express her love verbally (which is saying something where she is concerned) and just as Oliver manages to swallow down the lump in his throat, their first dance is announced.

“Go and dance.” John urges them, “I’ll see you later.” They comply, entirely wrapped up in one another.

*************************

John takes a few minutes to watch them dance together before he sees Dinah, Curtis and Rene huddled in a corner. Curtis is watching Felicity and Oliver dance with a look of mixed jealousy and longing and even a hint of anger, which John puts down to his intoxicated state because he knows that the other man has spent the last year and a half trying to get them back together too. Dinah seems disinterested with the entire proceedings and is simply leaning against the wall with her head in her phone and Rene is trying to support Curtis’ weight whilst also looking around the room frantically.

Rene has been behaving strangely over the last few weeks and John has been struggling to work out why. Where he is usually reticent, surly and generally difficult, he has been abnormally helpful and eager. Mere moments ago, John is pretty sure that Rene was about to try and give a speech of his own after relieving Curtis of the spotlight. Which is insane since, firstly John was asked to give it, secondly he barely knows Oliver and Felicity beyond their jobs and thirdly he rarely ever gets along with Oliver and has never really made an effort with Felicity either.

At first John had considered that it might be Zoe’s influence and having her back that has caused this change and maturity in his teammate, maybe even a gratitude for Oliver’s assistance in getting her home, but it seems like more than that. He cannot put his finger on it.

And then there is Dinah. He has never really been close to Dinah, and though he appreciates her not telling anybody about his injury, he gets the impression that she did not exactly do it _for_ him. She has always been cagey and secretive but she is even more so now. She has a constant scowl on her face and is barely engaging with the team beyond the necessities. John struggles to trust her, and he knows that Oliver does too.

Curtis has also been different. Since his divorce and especially since the explosion on Lian Yu, he has stopped being the bubbly man John first met and has become more and more sour every day since. From John’s perspective, even with the start-up that he and Felicity are developing, it looks like Felicity is doing all of the heavy lifting as far as planning goes. And then Curtis had the nerve to complain over Felicity finding a name and direction for the business that would work for the both of them even though he had made little effort to help her do so himself.

All three of the newer members of Team Arrow have been changing, as far as John is concerned. And only one of them has changed for the better, which in itself is something that he is struggling to believe is genuine. At this point, their presence at this wedding feels like more of a curtesy than because Oliver and Felicity actually wanted them here. Unlike with their previous recruits over the years – Sara, Roy, Thea, even Rory and Evelyn (who Felicity is still looking for, the girl was just a child and she deserves a second chance) – they have never really clicked. There is always push back whether it is Dinah trying to take control, Rene trying to go at it alone and disobey orders or Curtis freezing up and needing saving, it has always been a battle.

But Curtis’ drunken rant at his best friends’ wedding is one step too far for John. The three of them need to go – which he can tell will thrill Dinah – before Curtis starts throwing up or Rene inserts himself where he is not wanted.

“Hey, Rene,” he approaches the three, “I think maybe it’s time to get Curtis home.”

“I think you’re right, Hoss.” He eagerly agrees.

And then John drives his plan home, playing on that eagerness, “You know, it would be a real help to everyone if you could make sure he gets back safely. We don’t want Oliver and Felicity to be waking up the morning after their wedding to the news that Curtis has gone missing, after all.”

“Of course!” Rene nods sagely, “I’ll make sure of it. I’d best be getting home to Zoe and relieving the sitter anyway.” John relaxes a little.

Rene starts to guide Curtis out, stumbling a little as the taller man’s weight and lack of coordination throws him off balance, “Dinah,” John turns to the woman, “I think that maybe those two might need a little help.”

“See you tomorrow.” She smirks, sauntering after the others and leaving.

That sorted, John can finally enjoy this night that is the culmination of what he has been witnessing happen for five years now. The enjoyment lasts for all of three minutes before he sees Quentin on the phone, sporting a deeply troubled expression as his eyes search out the happily married couple still swaying on the dance floor.

When Quentin finally puts the phone down, it becomes clear that he is about to approach John’s friends with whatever bad news he has received and John will be damned if he is going to let anything spoil their night. Better he have a stressful time than them. He intercepts the deputy mayor, crowding him from the room so that neither Oliver nor Felicity can spot whatever is about to happen and get involved.

“Quentin, what is it?” he asks once they are in the corridor.

Quentin hesitates, his eyes searching John’s for something unknown, “I really should only tell Oliver and Felicity.” He does not sound certain of that.

“Ordinarily, I’d let you.” John agrees, “But tonight is their wedding night and I think that they deserve to enjoy it, don’t you.”

More hesitation, but then Quentin seems to come to a decision, “Okay, okay. Just… I can trust you, right? _Oliver and Felicity_ can trust you?”

And that is how John knows it is serious, “Of course. I love them like they’re my siblings. I would die for them.”

Quentin must believe him because the next thing he says is: “We’ve got a problem.” He says, dismayed, “Jean Loring just called. She told me to talk to Oliver right away, but I guess it can wait a day if you’re on the case, that way they can celebrate their wedding-”

“Quentin. What’s happening?”

“The prosecution’s smoking gun is a witness that’s willing to testify that Oliver is the Green Arrow.”

“Who.” John grits his teeth, fist clenching as ideas come to mind.

“That information is still under seal, but it’s someone on the team. I debated telling you even, but I know you have as much to lose as Oliver and Felicity do if he gets convicted, so it must be one of the newbies.”

Within a second, John is calling up Lyla, fury radiating off him in equal parts with despair. For Oliver. For Felicity. For William. For Thea. For Himself. Somebody is going to pay.

*************************

Completely and blissfully unaware of the chaos around them, Oliver and Felicity dance the night away. They both spend time with Felicity’s parents, with William and Thea and Felicity even gets a dance with John, who keeps himself together with the knowledge that Lyla and the full might of A.R.G.U.S. are on the case so that he can give them the perfect wedding.

Felicity has never been happier than when she links hands with her son and husband for a silly line dance. Oliver has never felt more proud than when William leads Felicity in a dance he has been practising nonstop since they decided to hold a reception because he was so desperate to dance with his step mother without stepping on her toes. Neither of them have ever been as joyous as, after the majority of the guests have filtered out, Donna, Noah and John make their ways home after Donna delivers a genuine and heartfelt speech to the few people remaining that has Felicity in tears. They kiss their son goodbye as he heads off to a sleepover at his aunt’s house, the woman in question winking suggestively at Felicity and Oliver as she goes, promising ice cream for breakfast to her nephew.

And then, finally, the couple are left alone. Oliver takes the opportunity to fully take in the gorgeous dress his wife is wearing. Felicity slides her hands under his suit and onto his shoulders. They rush home, a mess of giggles and sweet, sultry kisses and Oliver carries his wife across the threshold of their home and all the way into their bedroom where he proceeds to strip her of that enticing dress (it looks better on the floor, anyway) and he pulls of his suit and then they barely sleep a wink all night.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on twitter [@MagusLibera](https://twitter.com/MagusLibera).
> 
> I hope you liked this and that you're all safe.


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